Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport: A Hotel Review

When sailing with Mickey Mouse from Port Canaveral, we've stayed at a nearby Port Canaveral hotel, in Orlando, and at a Walt Disney World Resort. Recently, we spent that highly anticipated night before the cruise at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando International Airport.

It was a wonderful experience! The convenience, amenities, and ambiance were the perfect beginning to our Disney Cruise Line vacation. This will be our taking off point for future Disney Cruise Line vacations departing from Port Canaveral. Why? Read on.

The Hyatt Regency is located in Orlando International Airport, and can be accessed via elevators, stairs, or escalators from the main lobby of the terminal building. It couldn’t be more convenient! The most obvious reason to select the hotel is the convenience of leaving your tagged cruise baggage in your room, where it is picked up, delivered to Port Canaveral, and then to your Disney Cruise Line stateroom, all without your hoisting even one bag. In addition, you are able to check in at the Disney Cruise Line desk at the airport (level 1, side B, adjacent to the Disney Magical Express check-in area) early enough to receive a boarding pass with the number 2 on it! Of course, this applies only if you are taking Disney Cruise Line transportation to the port. We checked in with Disney at about 8:30 am, received our boarding number and Key to the World cards, and then had a quick breakfast while waiting for the first Disney Cruise Line bus to board for Port Canaveral.

Even without this amazing perk, the Hyatt Orlando International Airport has much to offer: comfortable beds with luxury bedding, terminal or runway views with balcony, spacious rooms, a heated outdoor pool with waterfall and sundeck, free WiFi (airport provided), iHome alarm clock/charger/radio, comfortable sitting areas in public spaces, two restaurants, and online check-in. The fitness center is open 24/7, and was well equipped, including Life Fitness™ Cardio machines, treadmills, elliptical cross training bicycles, exercise balls, and free weights. The fitness center also offers some nice extras such as cold water, chilled towels, and headphones. I wish I could say that I had a great workout there, but I must admit we went shopping instead! The airport shops and restaurants are just steps away, and did I mention that the Orlando International Airport has not just one, but two Disney Stores?

We had a delightful dinner at McCoy's Bar and Grill, an informal restaurant located on the lobby level. They serve sandwiches, brick oven pizzas, salads, and soups, as well as small plates (wraps, lemon hummus, bacon wrapped scallops, fried calamari, shrimp cocktail, pot stickers, soft pretzels with white cheddar-gouda cheese, emparedado de platano y pollo, and more). I can recommend the arugula salad with Bosc pear and shaved Reggiano, as well as the Mediterranean flat bread, topped with Kalamata olives, tomatoes and arugula. Within McCoy's Bar and Grill is a sushi bar, Hiro’s Sushi. Another dining option is the more formal Hemisphere restaurant, which offers steak, seafood, and panoramic views from the ninth floor of the Hyatt. Lobby South, a bar on the lobby level, features appetizers, along with cocktails, in the late afternoon and evening. Sushi can be ordered at the Lobby bar as well. It was very popular the evening we stayed at this Hyatt!

One important consideration when booking accommodations at the Hyatt Orlando International Airport is the cost. Standard rates are upwards of $300 per night or more. There are several ways to get a significantly lower rate. Discounts that may be available include military/government rates, AAA discounts, senior rates, and corporate rates - some offering rooms at just over $100 for a double. Rooms can be booked up to one year in advance. I found that our discounted rate was readily available when booked at the one year window, but had difficulty obtaining it at 2-3 months out. Perseverance paid off, and a discounted rate appeared on the Hyatt website about one month prior to our most recent stay. Another option is to purchase Hyatt Stay Certificates (Choice level), available on the Hyatt website. However, it is necessary to confirm that the Stay Certificates are accepted on the date(s) of your stay. Some have reported acquiring last minute discounts via the Hotwire or Last Minute Travel websites, but alas, for us, waiting until 24-48 hours prior to travel to secure a hotel room is not a comfortable option, particularly when the hotel night precedes a vacation as expensive and anticipated as a Disney cruise!

If you have two or more days prior to your cruise, you may prefer lodging at Walt Disney World, Port Canaveral, or other nearby Florida destinations. But if you are arriving in Orlando the day or evening prior to a Disney Cruise Line voyage from Port Canaveral, and using Disney Cruise Line transportation to the port, the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport offers a luxurious and relaxing beginning to a Disney Cruise Line vacation. Bon voyage!

What a great review! I completely agree! We have stayed at the Hyatt before all of our Disney Cruises that sailed out of Port Canaveral and are booked there again for our next cruise.

The Hyatt also has a "day room" rate for guests who who have a late return flight after their Disney cruise. We have done that once and took advantage of the pool, etc. Bell services also helped get our luggage to the airline ticket counter--another nice plus.

Subscribe to our free e-mail newsletter, PassPorter News, published for more than 58,000 opt-in subscribers worldwide.
As an added bonus for subscribing, you will receive a 20% discount coupon for the PassPorter Store -- no catch!

E-mail Address:

First Name:

E-mail Format:
-Text/Don't Know -HTML

We respect your privacy and never sell or rent our subscriber list. Subscribing will not result
in more spam! We guarantee it.

Ports and Excursionsby stardust1902 Mar 2015 at 12:55pm
We'll be on the Fantasy with stops in Grand Cayman, Cozumel and CC. Our kids will be 5 1/2 and just over 3 so there aren't a whole lot of options for...(click title above to view replies)

PIF & a Cabana!!!!!by chillepepa2 Mar 2015 at 12:18pm
24 hours later and I am still doing the PIF Happy Dance and a Cabana Happy Dance!!!!!! :thewave::thewave::thewave::thewave::thewave::thewave:
I...(click title above to view replies)

Booking a Cruise on board shipby chillepepa2 Mar 2015 at 12:04pm
I know I have seen this somewhere but when you are looking for the question/answer you can never find it. LOL
If I book my cruise on the ship,...(click title above to view replies)

Preggo on a DLCby Ariel in a doom buggy2 Mar 2015 at 11:59am
My friend will be 21 weeks pregnant when she is going on her next DLC. What documentation does she need from her doctor proving she is within the...(click title above to view replies)

Celebrity guest on the Dream!by LLP1427 Feb 2015 at 11:44am
Not sure where to share this post. My DD, who works on the Dream, said she couldn't wait to call me after this cruise to tell me that she had met a...(click title above to view replies)